In constructing a building, and in particular a residential building like a house, a relatively thin panel board is commonly used to cover the structural framework of exterior walls. The board is typically fabricated from a low-cost, lightweight material having enhanced insulating properties, such as, for example, extruded or expanded polystyrene, polyisocyanuarate, or polyurethane foam. Usually, the boards are sized for use in conjunction with conventional frame selections (that is, frames with wooden studs on 16 inch or 24 inch centers). The boards may also have varying thickness and compositions, depending on, among other considerations, the desired resistance to heat flow.
In some applications, an air and water or moisture barrier is provided between the interior and the exterior of the building. Generally, the barrier system is configured to “seal” the entire structure. This air and moisture barrier may be achieved using a layer of a plastic sheet known as a water resistive barrier in conjunction with the boards. In the alternative, the air and moisture barrier may also be achieved by affixing an adhesive carrier such as tape over the joints where the boards abut one another.